Talk to Me
***
Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Taraji P. Henson, Martin Sheen
Directed by Kasi Lemmons
Rated R
Opens Friday
No matter who you are in America, Hollywood can reduce your life to a simple rise-and-fall formula, soundtracked to the hits of the era in which you lived, full of emotionally significant moments and devoid of any dull passages, then tagged with a perfunctory explanation of how your life wrapped up once it ceased to be cinematic. Such is the case with Talk to Me, the story of Washington, D.C., radio DJ Petey Greene, a controversial firebrand who served as a voice for the disenfranchised black community from the late 1960s until his death in the early 1980s. Greene was an ex-con, a heavy drinker and a recovering drug addict, so he’s the perfect subject for a standard-issue biopic.
One of the requisite elements of that model is a showcase lead performance, and Cheadle delivers, conveying Greene’s flamboyant personality and strong convictions, which apply equally to his efforts to become a star DJ and his community activism. After getting out of prison, Greene persuades radio programmer Dewey Hughes (Ejiofor) to give him a spot on D.C. R&B station WOL, to the great consternation of its white owner (Sheen).
However things may have happened in real life, you know that Greene’s first appearance on-air will be nearly shut down by said square, blustery owner, only to be validated when the phone lines light up with callers praising Greene’s refreshing, straight-talking manner. You know that the straight-laced Hughes and the freewheeling Greene will clash at first, only to develop a deep friendship. You know that the height of Greene’s fame (an awkward Tonight Show appearance) will be followed by his inevitable downfall.
Director Lemmons and screenwriters Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa don’t really deviate from the expected formula, right down to the montages set to period music and the judicious deployment of historical stock footage. Up until the final third, which follows Greene beyond the radio station and chronicles his split with Hughes, the movie is engaging and enjoyable to watch, if not exactly as weighty as its subject matter. It drags a bit after that in its effort to hit all the standard beats, as the extra spark that made them feel fresh slowly dies out.